DNA Launches #Hibeernation Campaign for Rainier Beer

New Initiative Shows How to Stay Wild at Home

Drawing on Rainier Beer’s legacy as a quirky brand loved by outdoorsy beer drinkers, Seattle creative agency DNA has launched the “Hibeernation Survival Guide” – a social campaign designed to help Rainier’s fans stay connected to the outdoors while stuck at home due to Covid-19 stay-home orders.

The campaign kicked off with social content featuring the brand’s legendary wild Rainiers – giant Rainier cans with legs – practicing physical distancing while frolicking in the Pacific Northwest wilderness, with messaging such as ‘Normally wild Rainiers travel in packs of 6 – now they travel 6 feet apart and you should too.’

“We were about to produce year 2 of our “Rewild The Rainiers’ campaign when the pandemic hit, so we had to pivot quickly so the brand could be useful to fans in ways that fit their fun-loving, outdoor-loving spirit,” explained Steve Williams, Executive Creative Director at DNA. “The idea of a ‘hibeernation’ inspired a whole host of ways in which the brand could help their fans survive all this time indoors.”

The initial wild Rainiers content – repurposed from existing footage – is followed by new content designed to engage fans by showing people creatively enjoying outdoor activities from home. Featuring everything from a kayak run down a set of stairs to a backyard chair lift ride, the content was shot by DNA staff over a weekend and quickly edited for use in social and pre-roll. Fans are encouraged to show how they ‘stay wild’ while at home using the hashtag #hibeernation.

“When you have a brand that’s named for a mountain and a legacy for good times, it’s important to bring your customers ideas for new ways to enjoy the outdoors at a time when those activities are limited,” explained Nick Reely, VP Marketing at Pabst Brewing. “And hopefully we can give our fans the opportunity to relax and even smile a bit during this time.”

The campaign also helps Northwesterners de-stress with a ‘Hibeernation Meditation,’ a 6-minute, sensory-rich audio experience that takes listeners on an odd-yet-soothing ‘guided hike through the mountain in your mind.’

“This is a challenging time for creatives because there are executional limits and you need to be really sensitive to the cultural moment we are living through,” explained Chris Witherspoon, President of DNA. “So while the audio meditation is clearly meant to be funny, it’s also filled with the sounds of babbling brooks, gentle breezes and chirping birds to give people that moment of zen that many are craving now.”

Creating social engagement was a critical component of the overall campaign and DNA was tasked with finding ways to create content that would give Rainier fans things to do. One series of posts offers curated lists of Pacific Northwest-inspired movies, books and music to help fans pass the time inside, and fans are quickly adding their own suggestions to the list. DNA is also making daily video conferences more fun with Zoom video backgrounds featuring Mt. Rainier vistas with wild Rainiers frolicking about.

The campaign will appear on social channels including Instagram, Facebook and Youtube and is supported through programmatic media buys that also include banners.

The entire effort was produced by DNA’s in-house production company Petting Zoo.

Rainier was born in Seattle in 1878 before the state of Washington was even a state.

Our founder, Andrew Hemrich, was a first-generation German from a long line of brewmasters. Following in his father’s footsteps, he built the Seattle Brewing & Malting Company. Today we know it as the Rainier Brewing Company, named after the majestic mountain overlooking Andrew Hemrich’s new hometown.

To this day, Rainier and its red ‘R’ continue to be a symbol of home and happiness for millions living the Pacific Northwest lifestyle.

Rainier Beer is owned by Pabst Brewing Company, one of the largest independently owned American brewing companies. For more information on Rainier, please visit rainierbeer.com

About Pabst Brewing Company

Pabst, America’s largest privately held brewing company has been American-owned and operated since it’s founding in Milwaukee in 1844. Pabst engages and supports individuals and entities that are passionate about forging their own path in life through unconventional means and against all odds. Pabst’s portfolio includes iconic brands with deep ties to America’s heritage, such as its flagship Pabst Blue Ribbon. For more information about Pabst, please visit www.pabstbrewingco.com.

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